Puffins and pufflings may look similar, but there are some key differences between these seabirds. In this article, we’ll explore what defines each one and how to tell them apart.
What is a puffin?
Puffins are small, stocky seabirds in the auk family. There are four main species of puffin: the Atlantic puffin, horned puffin, tufted puffin, and rhinoceros auklet. They inhabit coastal cliffs and islands in the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Puffins have large, colorful beaks with stripes of red, orange, yellow, and blue. Their beaks turn more colorful and grow larger during breeding season. They use their sizable beaks to catch fish, their main food source. Puffins have predominantly black or dark grey feathers on their back and wings, with a white or pale grey belly and face.
Some key features that identify puffins are:
- Stocky, rounded body shape
- Large triangular beak that is bright and colorful
- Black back and wings
- White or pale grey belly
- Red/orange feet
- Spend most of their life out at sea, coming on land only to breed
What is a puffling?
A puffling is a baby or juvenile puffin. Pufflings hatch from eggs and remain in their burrows while they are young, being fed by their parents. They start to emerge from their burrows once they develop their juvenile plumage.
Puffling plumage differs from adult puffins in a few ways:
- Smaller beak that is grey, without the colorful stripes
- Overall more grey/brown coloration
- Fluffier appearance
Pufflings are covered in downy feathers that are mostly grey or brown. Their beaks are smaller and grey, lacking the bright markings. They are fluffier in appearance compared to sleek adult puffins.
Pufflings remain on land, near their nesting burrows, while they finish growing and developing flying skills. Once they fledge and take their first flight out to sea, they are considered juvenile puffins.
Differences between puffins and pufflings
There are a few key differences that set puffins and pufflings apart:
Puffin | Puffling |
---|---|
Adult plumage | Juvenile plumage |
Large colorful beak | Smaller grey beak |
Sleek body feathers | Fluffier down feathers |
Swims and flies well | Still developing flying skills |
Spends most time at sea | Stays on land near nest |
The most obvious difference is in their plumage. Puffin adults have their distinct black and white feathers and large colorful beaks, while pufflings are still growing into their adult appearance. Pufflings also stay on land until they learn to fly properly and venture out to sea.
Puffling development
Puffling growth can be divided into a few key stages:
Hatchling (1-2 weeks)
Pufflings hatch from eggs after an incubation period of around 40 days. They have fluffy down feathers and are relatively immobile, relying on parents to bring food to the nest.
Nestling (3-6 weeks)
Pufflings grow more feathers but are still flightless. Parents continue to feed them fish. Nestlings start peering out of burrows once they get older.
Fledgling (6-12 weeks)
Flight feathers grow in and pufflings will take their first flight out to sea. They are still fed by parents near the colony. Their beaks and feet also develop adult coloring.
Juvenile (3+ months)
Pufflings look like miniature puffins with some retained fluffy down. They forage at sea and return to land on their own. Full adult plumage and beak doesn’t emerge until 1-2 years old.
Pufflings remain dependent on their parents for food and protection for several months. If a lone puffling is spotted on land, it likely fledged prematurely and needs help!
Where to spot puffins vs. pufflings
The best locations to spot puffins and pufflings differs based on their movement patterns:
Puffins
Puffins spend most of their lives at sea, so they are most easily viewed flying and swimming offshore. Some top puffin-spotting locations include:
- Coastal islands like Skomer, Farne, Heimaey
- Cliffsides in Iceland, Norway, Alaska
- Rocky shorelines in Maine, Canada, Scotland
Puffins come to land only to breed in spring and summer. During this time, they gather in large colonies on remote islands and coasts. Prime puffin-viewing is May through August.
Pufflings
Newly hatched pufflings remain in underground burrows until they fledge, so they are hard to see. The best times to spot pufflings are:
- Evenings in mid-summer when they start wandering from burrows
- During the fledging period in late summer when they walk to the sea
Islands like Skomer and Little Skellig in the UK host “puffling patrols” in August-September. People can volunteer to rescue disoriented fledglings.
How to help a puffling
If you spot a lone puffling on land away from the colony, here are some tips for helping it out:
- Approach slowly and quietly – pufflings are easily spooked.
- Gently pick up the puffling and place in a cardboard box or pet carrier.
- Provide a towel for comfort but avoid direct handling.
- Call a wildlife rescue center to get the puffling professional care.
- Keep the puffling in a cool, quiet space away from other pets until help arrives.
With some TLC and rehabilitation, most stranded pufflings can be returned to the wild successfully. Simply getting them back to the ocean is not sufficient, as they likely need more care to survive on their own. Calling a rescue center is crucial!
Fun facts about puffins and pufflings
- Puffins can flap their wings 400 times per minute to stay aloft.
- The oldest known wild puffin was over 35 years old.
- Puffins catch around 60 fish in their beaks during one feeding trip to sea.
- Puffling down feathers have a similar structure to goose down used in jackets and comforters.
- Some pufflings travel solo, while others migrate in flocks alongside adult puffins.
- A group of puffins on land is called a circus.
- Scientists can determine a puffin’s age based on the grooves and coloration of its beak.
Conclusion
Puffins and pufflings share similarities, but once you know the differences between these charismatic seabirds they are easy to tell apart. Understanding the puffling growth cycle is key, since they look much different than adult puffins when young. With some careful observation, you can identify whether it is a full grown Atlantic puffin or one of its fluffy grey offspring out exploring the cliffs!